If You Could Turn Back Time
by gijane197702
Summary: AU: : Remus’ “insurance” spell before heading to the Battle of Hogwarts goes slightly wrong…
1. Chapter 1

**Title: **If You Could Turn Back Time

**Author:** gijane7702

**Format & Word Count:** Fic//1748

**Rating & Warning:** PG13// AU; cursing

**Summary: **Remus' "insurance" spell before heading to the Battle of Hogwarts goes slightly wrong…

**Author's Notes: **This is what happens when I tune out my trainer in class at work…I get plotbunnies!

14 May 2000 

Harry Potter wandered aimlessly about the house, trying not to think.

He had already cleaned for the day and Teddy was down for his afternoon nap. Andromeda was out with her friends doing the exact same thing he, Harry, was trying to accomplish: trying to forget that it was the second anniversary of Remus and Tonks' deaths.

Of course other people had died that day. Ron and Hermione were spending the day at the Burrow with the whole family in remembrance of Fred. Professor McGonagall had a memorial planned for the students that had died; the Ministry for the others. And wizarding families nationwide were holding their own personal tributes.

Harry hadn't wanted to go to any of them. He had gone to the Ministry's first anniversary remembrance only because it was also the dedication of the new war memorial. It had been absolutely ghastly for Harry and he told Kingsley Shacklebolt he was never doing another one.

He wandered over to a window and stared out into the yard. Smiling wryly, Harry could almost see the spectral forms of Remus and Tonks taking their wedding vows under the blooming arbour. He turned slightly towards the mantelpiece where their wedding picture resided and felt himself responding to the looks of absolute joy on both Remus and Tonks' faces as they waved at the camera.

Harry sighed. It wasn't fair. They had been married less than a year and had a two-month-year old son waiting for them at home when they had died. He leaned his head up against the surprisingly cool glass of the window and sighed again, this time holding back tears.

There were two loud cracks from the yard. Harry had his wand drawn and was out the backdoor and at the arbour before recognition of the two voices now coming from the garden sank in:

"What the _bloody hell_ just happened?"

"My insurance policy."

There was a slight pause, a sigh, then, "You would have one."

Harry didn't need to see him to know exactly what the look on Remus' face looked like- exasperation at Tonks nailing him perfectly- and he grinned.

He then came to a jerking halt. How could Remus have an annoyed look on his face at what Tonks had just said if both of them were dead?!

With trepidation, Harry turned the corner. There, underneath the arbour, laid a panting Remus and Tonks.

"What the…" and he used a few words that he had picked up from Ron over the years.

Tonks sat up. "Such language, Harry!" But she grinned at him. "And what are you doing at my parents' house?"

"What are you doing alive?" he blurted back at her. Looking at Remus, who was still laying down, he added, "Both of you!"

Tonks blinked at him, then said, "No idea…darling," she turned to her husband before continuing, "Harry wants to know why we're alive."

Before Remus could answer, a baby's crying rent through the air.

"Teddy," Harry and Tonks said at the same time.

"I'll go get him," Harry said as Tonks began to struggle to stand. "You stay here and heal one another. Tonks, you're bleeding over your left eye and Remus looks like he has at least a broken leg. You both look like you've just come from…"

"Battle," Remus finished hoarsely for him. "At Hogwarts…"

Harry felt his jaw drop. Tonks looked at him for a long moment, then asked, "How long has it been since the battle ended, Harry?"

At Teddy's blood-curling scream, Harry said, "Let me get the baby…then we'll talk."

Tonks nodded at him, but was already turning her attention to Remus, who was grimacing in pain. Harry walked, as if in a daze, back into the house and up the stairs. It wasn't until he reached Teddy's room, opened the door and was greeted by Remus and Tonks' screaming baby that what had just occurred outside sank in.

"Oh fuck," he said aloud and leaned against the doorframe for support.

"Fuck!" Teddy stopped crying and repeated back.

Harry groaned. Teddy was at the phase where he was repeating anything and everything he heard. He'd now be repeating Harry's curse for the rest of the day. They were keeping Ron as far away from Teddy as possible.

"Just what your parents need, Mr Lupin," Harry told him while holstering his wand and taking Teddy out of his crib. Laying him down on the changing table, Harry continued, "To be greeted by their son cursing."

"Fuck!" Teddy told him.

"Lovely. Your mum's going to kick my arse." Harry grinned when Teddy laughed at him.

"Arse."

"Why do you only repeat the curse words?" Harry asked Teddy as he expertly changed his nappy.

"Fuck!"

Harry bit his lip. Andromeda had warned him that laughing would only encourage Teddy on. "Stop it!" he said crossly.

"Okay, Har-wee!" Teddy squealed, clapping his hands.

"Thank you, Ted-dee!" Harry blew a raspberry onto the baby's belly. "Come on…I have to figure out how the…" he caught himself in time, "your parents are alive." Teddy looked at him seriously as he was picked up. "Exactly," he told him. "All right here we go." Harry exited the room and headed down stairs.

They came to an abrupt stop halfway down. Remus was laying down on the couch, eyes closed, in the living room. Tonks was rummaging through her mother's potions supplies, muttering to herself.

Realizing what he hadn't done yet, Harry drew his wand and pointed in their general direction. "Identify yourselves!" he demanded from them.

"I was wondering when you were going to ask that," Tonks said, not even turning around. "Where is the dittany? Ah…here it is. Just a moment, Harry, I have to brew this bruise healing paste for Remus."

Without opening his eyes, Remus told him, "I am Remus John Lupin, werewolf, married to Dora, father to Teddy. We first met on the Hogwarts Express where I gave you chocolate for remedy for the Dementor that searched the train. I later taught you the Patronus Charm to ward them off since they unfortunately took to you. It takes the shape of a stag, which is your father and my friend, James', Animagus form."

"Nice one, darling," Tonks told him as she smeared the paste on her husband's side. "My turn, isn't it? I hate my given name, so I am Tonks, Auror and Metamorphmagus, married to Remus, mother to Teddy. We first met when your Advance Guard freed you from your aunt and uncle's house your fifth year. Um…what else? Mine's not going to be as good as Remus'." She turned around, grinning. Seeing Harry and Teddy on the stairs, she dropped her bowl and then screamed.

Remus' eyes flew open. Harry didn't even see him draw his wand until he had to duck the hex that Remus cast at him.

"Bloody hell!" Harry yelled. "Remus!"

"Sorry," Remus apologized.

"Bloody!" Teddy repeated.

"Teddy! No!" Harry told him. "We just talked about this."

"Who is that?" Tonks whispered, pointing at her son.

Teddy looked at her. Cocking his head to one side, he studied Tonks for a few moments before asking in a hesitant tone, "Mama?"

"Teddy…" she answered back in a disbelieving tone. "My baby?" she asked Harry as she approached.

Teddy whimpered as Tonks reached through the railing to him and buried his face in Harry's t-shirt. "Teddy, it's Mummy," she told him in an agonized tone. "It's Mummy…"

"Bugger, that's Teddy!" Remus exclaimed, struggling to sit up. "Good God…I only planned the spell for one, to return me in two days. When I took Dora with me, it must have thrown the spell off…"

"To two years instead," Tonks finished for him. "Teddy, it's Mummy," she whispered to her son, reaching for him.

Teddy pulled further away from her, frightened. Tonks bit her lip and a tear leaked down her cheek. "He's only seen you in pictures, Tonks," Harry said, trying to explain.

"And here we are…live and in person," Remus said. "He's confused."

Teddy peeked up from Harry's t-shirt and asked, "Dada?"

Remus smiled at him. "Yes, son, it's Daddy."

"You cast a spell to return you…in case?" Harry asked him.

"Yes," Remus told him. "It was to activate when I was close to dying…"

"Except it wasn't cast for two," Tonks finished. "When you had to take me with you, I threw the spell off. Teddy?" she asked her son quietly.

"Mama…?" Teddy asked, still nervous, but now looking at his mother.

"Yes, sweetheart, it's Mama. I love you, Teddy." Tonks reached for him again, smiling when he didn't pull away and let her touch his arm.

"What kind of magic is that?" Harry asked Remus, coming down the remaining stairs. Teddy pulled closer to him, but had locked eyes with Tonks, who hadn't moved closer yet.

"Ancient magic…like what your mother used, Harry," Remus told him. "Not Dark magic."

Harry grinned. "You know me too well. So…you cast the spell to return you here if you came close to death…like an insurance plan. Brilliant move. But since Tonks unexpectedly showed up at Hogwarts, you had to take her with you…thus throwing off the spell. Two years instead of two days."

"Ops…sorry," Tonks said, blushing.

"You're not…angry with me for wanting to…bail if I came to close to death, Harry?" Remus asked him.

"No!" Harry told him vehemently. "You had Teddy to live for! And Tonks. I'm glad you cast your insurance plan. It went slightly awry…but you're here now." Harry looked at Teddy who was still eyeing up Tonks. "Look, Teddy, its Mummy! Mummy's here for you. She's come back."

"Mama," Teddy said, reaching for his mother.

Tonks snatched him up and held him close. "Hullo, Mummy's baby. I missed you so much!" She kissed Teddy's turquoise hair, and then walked over to Remus. "Look, Teddy…Daddy."

"Dada," Teddy repeated, reaching for Remus.

"My son," he whispered, taking Teddy from his wife. "My Teddy. I love you so much, baby."

Harry smiled at the reunited family as Remus and Tonks cuddled and cooed on the couch with an exuberant Teddy. Before he knew what was happening, the front door opened and Andromeda walked in.

"I had to be with Teddy today," she told Harry while unbuttoning her cloak. "Is he still napping?"

Harry felt his face blanch as Andromeda hung her cloak and walked into the living room. His eyes slid shut as he head Tonks greet her mother with a "Wotcher, Mum!"

TBC(?)


	2. Chapter 2

**Title: **If You Could Turn Back Time

**Author:** gijane7702

**Format & Word Count:** Fic//2006

**Rating & Warning:** PG13// AU; cursing

**Summary: **Remus' "insurance" spell before heading to the Battle of Hogwarts goes slightly wrong…

**Author's Notes: **I wasn't planning on a chaptered fic, but the Plotbunny has turned into a HUGE Monster. Yep, still tuning my trainer out…ops! What is now Chapter One should be entitled "Harry"

While discussing R&T's deaths on different forums, I've decided that they become like a Shakespeareanesque (my own word-Shakespeare like) play. You know, their lives (and deaths) became a legend.

Chapter 2: Andromeda

Harry had been in too surprised at Andromeda's sudden arrival to warn her that her "deceased" daughter and son-in-law were actually very much alive and very much sitting in the living room. He winced when he heard the thump, then Tonks yelp, "Sorry, Mum!" and Remus yell, "Andromeda!"

There was a slight pause, and then Teddy cursed. "Fuck!"

"Teddy!" both his parents exclaimed. "No!"

Harry couldn't help it: he laughed again. Walking into the living room, he took Teddy from Remus and said to the baby, "Exactly, Teddy boy. Fuck indeed."

"Harry, shut it! Don't encourage him!" Tonks shot him the exact same look her mother always did. "Now, get over here and help me with Mum."

He bit his lip to keep from laughing again, this time at the amused look on Remus' face. Turning back to Teddy, he continued, "Harry make Gran have boo-boo. Gran's going to kick my-"

"Harry!" Remus warned.

Teddy laughed. "Har-wee funny!"

Harry grinned, and then handed a still laughing Teddy to a struggling-to-stand Remus. "Sit down, I'll help Tonks." He returned Remus' grateful smile, then hurried over to help Tonks. "Sorry," he told her. "I couldn't help myself. I can be the cool godfather now that you're back." Her face softened and she smiled at him. "Er…and sorry about your mum. She was supposed to be out with her friends today."

Teddy was still laughing. Tonks pointed at Harry, then her son. So Harry turned around and said, "Teddy, we just talked about repeating every curse word you hear. You've gone and shocked your poor parents! What kind of godfather will they think I was?"

"Sorr-wee, Har-wee!" Teddy clapped his hands together, bouncing up and down on his father's knee, oblivious to Remus wincing in pain. "Love you!"

Harry glared at the giggling baby, knowing that Teddy knew he wasn't at all serious, and then asked Remus, "You all right?"

"I've been better," he was told.

Harry just managed to pull back in time as Andromeda was bought around with smelling salts and bolted upright. "Sorry about that, Andi, you surprised me!" he told her. She glared at him, and then looked over at Tonks and Remus. "It's really them. Remus cast some sort of ancient spell that was a guarantee for him, but it got thrown off when he had to take Tonks with him."

Andromeda nodded silently at his explanation as she greedily drank in the sight of her daughter and son-in-law. "Dora?" she whispered, reaching out and brushing a stray strand of pink hair off Tonks' forehead.

"It's me, Mum," Tonks whispered back. "I'm home." She grunted when Andromeda hugged her tightly. "I want to know how come Harry can call you Andi. Sirius used to call you that all the time and you'd hexed him each time for it. You hate being called Andi more than I hate my given name."

"Nymphadora is a beautiful name," Andromeda told her daughter before pulling her into another hard hug. "Harry and I have had a rough two years, so I let him get away with calling me that." She paused, and then added, "I've missed you, my baby. I don't care what Remus did or how or why it went wrong, I'm just glad to have you back!"

"I missed you too, Mum," Tonks whispered hoarsely, tears shining in her dark eyes as she hugged her mother back.

"To have you both back, Remus," Andromeda said warmly, smiling at him over Tonks' shoulder. "And I'm glad that you thought of a contingency plan."

"Yay, Dada!" Teddy, who had fallen uncharacteristically silent until then, squealed. He bounced up then down so hard that Remus let out a yelp of pain.

Tonks pulled away from her mother and turned to face her husband. "You were already in pretty bad shape when I found you, darling, and I've done what I can here for you here. Do you think you should go to St Mungo's?"

"I probably should," Remus groaned as Teddy turned around to look at him, hitting him in his side accidentally. "Damn!"

"Damn!" Teddy repeated.

"No cursing, Teddy!" Tonks scolded. "Remus!" she then said in exasperated tone to her husband.

"Sorry, Mama," they both told her at the same time, in the exactly same tone, with the exact same expression on their faces.

It was obviously clear that they were father and son and Tonks smiled fondly at the two of them. "My boys…" she murmured, and they both smiled charmingly back at her.

"You can't go to St Mungo's," Harry said, feeling guilty for, but having to, break the loving mood. He stood and sat down on the couch next to Remus.

Remus looked perplexed at him for a moment, and then said, "Because we've been declared dead, correct?" He handed a silently observing Teddy to Harry. "I'd say that'd shock the Healers. Two supposedly dead people walking in…"

Harry and Tonks chuckled at his dry tone. Teddy, not understanding, giggled along with the adults.

"You were listed as missing for a year," Andromeda, a smiled playing around her lips, quietly spoke up as her daughter assisted her into an armchair.

"Because there were no bodies," Tonks mused aloud as she walked back to the couch and propped herself up next to Remus. "That's standard Auror protocol."

"Correct," Andromeda continued. "Then, last year, you were finally declared dead."

"I'll go to the Ministry and tell Kingsley what's happened," Harry said, standing. "It's going to take quite a bit of paperwork to declare you both alive again. I think he should be with us when we go to the hospital."

"Otherwise, the poor Healers will probably think it's some sort of Dark magic going on," Remus said, nodding understandingly at Harry.

"Why Kingsley?" Tonks questioned.

"He's Minister for Magic," Harry told her, blinking in surprise as Tonks began to laugh. "What's so funny?"

"Kingsley…Minister!" she wheezed out between laughs. At Harry's confused look, she added, "He hates paperwork!"

"Hates isn't the word for it, my love. He despises it," Remus chuckled, and then grimaced. Tonks snorted so violently her hair morphed a darker shade of pink for a moment.

"Mama funny!" Teddy yelled, clapping his hands and laughing along with her.

Harry grinned at the two of them. Now he could see the Tonks in Teddy as she leaned and kissed her son on the cheek. Harry handed Teddy to her and she told him, "Yes I am, Teddy sweetie. Mama funny! Almost as funny as Kingsley doing paperwork."

"Well, that's what he got Percy for," Harry informed her, grinning as Tonks laughed harder.

"Kingsley would make an excellent Minister," Remus said, biting his lip. Harry knew he was trying not to laugh since it hurt.

"He's a very hands-on Minister," Andromeda said. "The public loves it. Harry, why don't you Floo Call him instead? We have the direct access to his office. Remus is rather pale and I can see bruising even through the paste. He's probably cracked a few ribs-"

"I know I did," Remus told her. "I have to duck that Cutting Curse of Dolohov's and hit the ground hard. Damnit."

"Remus!" Tonks said pointedly the same time Teddy yelled, "Damnit!"

"Edward Remus Lupin, stop your cursing right this instant!" Remus corrected his son.

"Sor-wee, Dada," Teddy told him quietly with big shocked blue eyes.

Harry understood. It was one thing to get corrected by your godfather, a totally different thing to be corrected by your suddenly-back-from-the-dead father.

"Then you're probably slightly bleeding internally as well," Andromeda told Remus, who nodded his agreement. Tonks looked terrified.

"So you're definitely going to need to see a Healer," Harry said to Remus. "Then, you should lie back down." Remus did. "I'll be right back. I'll tell Kingsley just to bring Percy. Everyone's going to want to see you two and we don't need everyone gawking while you're recovering." At Andromeda's soft snort of laughter and Remus' confused look, he added, "Romeo and Juliet are back from the dead."

"Romeo and Juliet?" Remus questioned.

Tonks, now morphing her nose to mollify Teddy, stopped and looked at Harry perplexed as well. "Romeo and Juliet?" she echoed.

"You're the star-crossed lovers of the Wizarding world," Harry told them.

She and Remus exchanged uneasy glances.

Andromeda laughed. "Oh yes…the _Daily Prophet_ has made you two into a tale worthy of Romeo and Juliet. Actually, they made you two make the two of them look like child's play."

Tonks frowned. "Romeo and Juliet? Seriously?"

"You're almost as famous as Harry." The smirk she shot Harry was completely Black in nature. Harry just rolled his eyes at her. At Tonks' disbelieving look, she continued "Yes, it's all very much romanticized. I can't go anywhere without someone asking me questions about you two or, if I have Teddy, wanting to touch him."

Remus groaned and covered his face with his hands. Tonks shook her head is incredulity.

Teddy giggled.

"I'm going to Floo Kingsley," Harry said. "Be right back."

He pivoted on his heel, strode across the room and into the kitchen. Harry grabbed the ceramic pot on the mantelpiece. Un-holstering his wand, he pointed it at the fireplace and muttered, "_Incendo_." Once a fire was going, Harry threw a handful of Floo Powder into it and said, "The Minister for Magic's Office!" then stuck his head in the green flames.

He was just in time to watch Percy Weasley, rummaging through a filing cabinet, jump as the fire on his end burst alive. "Sorry about that," Harry apologised. "It's me, Harry."

"Quite all right, Harry," he was told as Percy straightened his glasses and closed the drawer. "You're the only one that has access to this office, so I know it's you. How can I help you?"

Harry paused for a moment, digesting the Percy-ness, and then said, "I need you and Kingsley to come over."

"For?" Percy questioned. "Is everything all right with Teddy and Andromeda?"

"They're fine. Trust me, Perce, there's no way to explain this. You'll just have to see it to believe it."

"Harry?" Kingsley asked, coming out of his office. "Everything all right?"

"Yeah…I just need to come here. Like I told Percy, there's no way to explain this. You just have to see."

"We'll be right there, Harry," Kingsley told him.

"Thanks."

Harry pulled his head out of the magical fire, shaking it slightly. Even after all these years, he still wasn't fond of Flooing. He stood, and then headed back into the living room.

Andromeda was now holding Teddy, both abnormally silent and observing Tonks who was leaning over Remus, assisting him in drinking a potion. Harry could see from his position at that door that Remus really wasn't looking very good. "They're on their way. Is Remus going to be all right? 'Cause, declared dead or not, I'll just take him to St Mungo's now."

Tonks looked up at him. Brushing a strand of hair out of her eyes, she told Harry, "He should be fine until Kingsley arrives. I'd rather wait and have both of you with us."

"Yeah…I guess," Harry agreed, not quite sure what to say next.

"I mean…I've healed his exterior wounds, but…like Mum said…"

"I'll be fine, Dora," Remus said hoarsely. "Just make sure I'm awake when Kingsley gets here. I just want to see the expression on his face…"

Tonks giggled, shaking bemusedly her head at her husband.

Harry grinned. "They should be here any second." Cocking his head to one side, he waited for the tell-tale pops of two Apparitions.

"Here they are," Tonks said a split second before he did.

Harry crossed through the living room, down the corridor, and opened the front door. Kingsley and Percy looked both concerned and mystified. "Follow me," he told them.

Tonks looked up and over at them as they entered the living room. Remus managed a smile, and then said, "Hullo, Royal."

Harry had to silently agree with Remus' assessment: the look on Kingsley and Percy's faces were priceless.


	3. Chapter 3

**Title: **If You Could Turn Back Time

**Author:** gijane7702

**Format & Word Count:** Fic//2180

**Rating & Warning:** PG13// AU; cursing

**Summary: **Remus' "insurance" spell before heading to the Battle of Hogwarts goes slightly wrong…

**Author's Notes: **Yes, "The Order" references a whole group of people, not just one specific person like chapters one and two do, but I just couldn't decide on one…

Yay! I'm making spells up again. Evadebo Moris I will evade death. "The Death Protection Spell" is all mine. Now I don't have to explain what happened…again!

Many, many thanks to my little Latin font of knowledge, cassibill

Chapter Three: The Order

Harry felt his lips twitch in amusement at the absolutely shocked looks on Kingsley and Percy's faces. He just nodded when the Minister for Magic turned towards him seeking reassurance at what he was seeing.

"Hi, King!" Teddy called suddenly, waving, breaking awkward silence and causing everyone to smile at him and his enthusiastic knee bouncing.

"It's really them, Kingsley," Andromeda said softly, tightening her grip on her grandson, drawing both men's attention to her. "Remus did…something. Not quite sure what…but it's them."

"_Evadebo Moris_," Remus grunted thickly. Tonks leaned over him and brushed his fringe back, murmuring reassuringly to her husband.

"The Death Protection Spell!" Percy exclaimed. Kingsley looked startled, but also impressed. He remained silent and Harry knew he knew what the spell entailed as well. "That's ancient, not to mention very complicated, magic!"

"Well who else better to cast it than your Defence Against the Dark Arts professor?" Harry asked Percy, smirking slightly as he saw Percy's neck turning red like Ron's ears did. "Now…that's how they're here, how they survived. We can go into the actual details after we get Remus to St Mungo's. For him, the battle just ended. He's still injured and needs medical attention."

Kingsley sprang into action. "I see why you called me, Harry," he said as he assisted Tonks in Levitating Remus. "If you'd just bought them to the hospital…"

"Exactly," Harry said.

Andromeda, passing Teddy to Harry, opened the front door and he moved to the side as a grumbling Remus floated by him. Harry couldn't help his lips twitching in amusement at the look of disgust on Remus' face and grinned broadly as he caught what his former professor was muttering, "I'm not an invalid, Dora."

"No, darling, you're not an invalid. But you are seriously injured," Tonks said, effectively silencing her husband. She turned to Kingsley, her dark eyes already sparkling with merriment, and casually said, "By the way, King, nice robes."

Harry grinned, knowing that Kingsley usually just wore plain black, but since he had a Wizengamot hearing this afternoon, he had to wear his fancy plum-coloured robes.

"Not another word, Nymphadora!" Kingsley said shortly.

Tonks halted, turned around, and glared at him. "Don't call me-"

Kingsley cut her off. "You've said there's a very short list of people who can call you Nymphadora and the Minister for Magic's on it. I am the Minister for Magic, therefore…"

Harry laughed aloud and Remus snorted with laughter (then grimaced in pain) as Tonks floundered about trying what to think of what to say back at him. She settled for sticking her tongue out at him, causing Teddy to giggle.

Then, Percy suddenly blurted out, "Shouldn't we really check if it's them, sir? Both Harry and Andromeda, no offence, are… how do I put it… emotionally involved, so they might believe it's them just because-"

"I've already checked their identities, Percy," Harry cut across him.

"How?" Percy demanded.

Harry glared at him. "They identified themselves the way that that Order members, and only Order members, always identified themselves! I might be emotionally attached in wanting to believe it was them, but I've always protected my godson, Percy. I wasn't going to let two Death Eaters into the house with him. Not to mention the fact I'm an Auror. It's them, Remus and Tonks. End of story."

Percy drew back at how acerbic Harry's words were; his blue eyes wide in surprise behind his horn-rimmed glasses. Teddy's blue eyes were large as well since he'd never heard his godfather speak like that in front of him. But Andromeda, Tonks, and Kingsley looked amused. They also weren't paying attention to Remus and bumped him up against the doorframe. He bellowed in pain, drawing everyone's attention from Harry.

"Sorry, darling!" Tonks yelped. With a wave of her wand, Remus floated out the door properly, shooting a glare at his sheepish wife as he went.

"Percy, if Harry checked their identities and believes it's them, then that's fine with me," Kingsley said. "For now, let's get Remus to St Mungo's."

With those words, he and Tonks exchanged quick looks, then simultaneously Disapparated with Remus. Percy nodded at Harry, who knew it was the closest thing he'd get to an apology, then stepped outside and Disapparated as well.

Harry said, before Andromeda could say anything, "Go to St Mungo's. I'll collect Teddy's bag and Floo over with him." Teddy didn't like Side-Alone Apparating. She nodded, took her cloak that he handed her, stepped outside and Disapparated. To Teddy, Harry said, "Let's get your stuff then go wait for Daddy to be healed."

"Where Dada go?" Teddy asked him. "Mama?"

Harry's heart constricted as picked up Teddy's travelling bag and walked through the living room and into the kitchen. His godson looked absolutely crestfallen. He had just been reunited with his parents, only to have them disappear once again. "We're going to Mummy and Daddy. They're at the hospital," he told him.

"Mama there?" Teddy asked. "Dada?"

Harry kissed his turquoise hair, and then threw a handful of Floo Powder into the fire. "Yes, Teddy, both Mummy and Daddy will be there." Hitching Teddy's bag onto his shoulder, Harry stepped into the emerald flames, tightened his grip on his godson, and then said, "St Mungo's Hospital."

He came tripping out of the hospital's fireplace lobby moments later. "I hate Flooing," Harry muttered to himself.

Teddy, his cheeks smudged with soot, had spotted Tonks and yelled, "Mama!" to get her attention.

She hurried over to Harry, who was dusting himself off, and took her son from him. Teddy immediately burrowed his face in her shoulder mumbling, "Mama" in a content tone.

Tonks kissed his hair, and then said, "Thanks, Harry. I just realised both Remus and I Disapparated without telling Teddy we're coming back. My poor baby…"

She kissed his sooty cheek when Teddy looked up at her and said, "Mama," in a happy voice. He then began to fuss when Tonks began to wipe his cheek off with the sleeve of her robes. "Stop, Mama!" Teddy yelled, pulling away. Tonks ignored him.

"There's one of your girlfriends, Teddy," Harry said to distract his godson. He was amused at the sight of Tonks acting like a mother. Harry grinned when Teddy waved flirtatiously at the Welcome Witch, who waved happily back. "It's those blue eyes of yours, Ted," he said and Tonks snorted laughingly. "Gran told me its how Mummy fell for Daddy as well, since you get them from him."

Tonks glared at Harry, who grinned at her, then sat down next to her mother and asked Andromeda, "How much exactly did you tell Harry about Remus and me?"

"Just about everything," Andromeda replied serenely. Tonks huffed. "Nymphadora, Harry didn't realise until after you were…dead exactly what you and Remus meant to him. He had questions, I had answers."

Harry blushed as he sat down across from Tonks. She smiled at him and he smiled back. Changing the subject, he asked, "Any word on Remus? And where's Kingsley?"

"We got here five minutes before you did, Harry," she teased. At his exasperated look, Tonks added, "After the initial shock of receiving us, the Healers took Remus into a closed ward. Kingsley's with him since I waited here for Teddy. Percy's off somewhere… mumbled something about the Order. By the way, how often are you here?"

"You've noticed that most of the staff seems to know Teddy?" Andromeda asked her rhetorically. "Besides the fact that his parents and godfather are famous, I'm here almost as often as I was with you." Tonks made an indistinct noise at the back of her throat and Harry smirked. "For all Teddy looks like Remus, he takes after you in personality, Nymphadora, including the clumsiness."

"That's not hereditary," Tonks muttered to herself. "It's not," she told Teddy, who grinned at her. "Being a Metamorphmagus is hereditary," she morphed her hair purple, "but being clumsy is not."

Teddy regarded his mother for a moment, and then morphed his hair purple to match hers. Tonks grinned at him, but Harry and Andromeda gasped.

"What?" Tonks asked.

"That's the first time he's deliberately morphed," Andromeda said faintly.

"Really?" Tonks asked excitedly. "I got his first morph at least! I mean, I missed everything else…" she trailed off sadly.

Teddy took her face in his hands and said, "Love Mama."

"Mummy loves you too, Teddy. Now, morph your hair back. You look funny with purple hair." Teddy giggled and morphed his hair back to his natural turquoise. Tonks morphed back to her natural pink. "What would Daddy say if he saw his son with purple hair?"

"Um, Tonks, you're talking about the man who married a witch with pink hair…" Harry said laughing as Tonks stuck her tongue out at him. He spotted Percy coming out of an office and asked, "Who'd you contact?"

"My mother," he was told. "She's on her way here with Victoire."

"Who's Victoire?" Tonks asked as Teddy squealed with excitement at the name.

"Bill and Fleur's daughter," Andromeda told her daughter. "She and Teddy are inseparable."

"You little flirt. You're just like your father," Tonks said to her son, who grinned at her. "How many girlfriends do you have?"

Harry couldn't help it: he began to laugh. It was very true. He had never imagined Remus as a normal man until after Andromeda began to tell him stories of his and Tonks' courtship. Teddy was just like his father when it came to women: a born flirt that didn't even have to try.

"And prepare yourself," Percy added to Tonks. "Mum's… slightly excited about your return." Harry knowingly took 'slightly excited' to be one of Percy's infamous understatements.

A few minutes later, with a cursory warning to Tonks, he barely had time to grab Teddy as his mother shoved him at Harry before she was enveloped into a tight hug by Molly Weasley.

Harry watched the other members of the Weasley family and most of the Order of the Phoenix enter the lobby. "Just your mother?" Harry repeated disbelievingly to Percy as Ron and Hermione found him in the quickly crowding waiting area and made their way to his side.

Percy shrugged and said, "And I contacted a few others," before Arthur captured his attention with many rapid-fire questions.

"It's really Tonks?" Hermione asked Harry, watching Tonks, who was now getting swung around by Charlie, her schoolmate and friend. "How?"

"_Evadebo Moris_," Harry told her, knowing she understood when Hermione gasped.

""The Death Protection Spell," Ron nodded approvingly. Both Harry and Hermione looked at him, shocked, and he added defensively, "What?"

"You know about ancient magic like that?" Hermione asked her fiancée.

"I looked up spells like that in one of Mum's books when I was old enough to comprehend what exactly Harry's mum did for him," Ron told her.

"Did anyone get Ginny?" Harry asked. "She's at practice still."

"I left a message since she was still on the pitch. But I told them it was an emergency," Hermione told him.

Before Harry could respond, the lobby's fireplace burned green once more time and Ginny Weasley, clad in dark green **robes** with a golden talon on the chest, still carrying her broom, stumbled into the lobby. "Who's hurt?" she cried, surveying the room, making note of each of her family members.

"Ginny!" Teddy yelled.

"Another girlfriend?" Tonks asked her son, bemusedly. "I think Harry'd have something to say about this one…"

"Hello, my Ted-" Ginny began, but stopped short when she heard, and saw, Tonks. "Ohmigod…Tonks?"

"Wotcher, Gin! Oh, you play for Holyhead?! Does that mean I can get free tick-" Tonks grunted as Ginny threw herself into her arms. "I missed you too…"

"How?" Ginny whispered.

"Long complicated story. Harry'll fill you in later," Tonks told her. "But here I am!"

Ginny turned towards Harry, who nodded at her, then turned back to Tonks and said, "All right then. Welcome home!"

"Cheers, Ginny!" Tonks then looked over at Percy and said, "What…did you call a meeting of the Order? 'A few others' you said"

Percy just shrugged again. "A few others…the entire Order…same difference." Tonks and most of the room laughed. "It's not every day two of our members come back from the dead."

Ginny looked around the room once again, and then paused. Harry realised, just before she asked the question what she was going to say. In a low voice, Ginny asked, "Where's Remus?"

Harry walked up to her and Tonks. Handing Teddy to his mother, he said, "Remus is why we're here. For him and Tonks, the Battle of Hogwarts just ended, even thought it has been two years for us… and he's still injured from fighting." He knew Ginny wanted to ask all sorts of questions, but Harry continued on, "Answers later, I promise. We're just waiting for word of his condition."

"Which I can tell you now, Mr Potter," a very familiar voice said from behind him.

The whole room turned to look at Poppy Pomfrey and awaited her diagnosis.


	4. Chapter 4

**Title: **If You Could Turn Back Time

**Author:** gijane7702

**Format & Word Count:** Fic//1603

**Rating & Warning:** PG13// AU; cursing

**Summary: **Remus' "insurance" spell before heading to the Battle of Hogwarts goes slightly wrong…

**Author's Notes: **Short(er)…but very sweet!

Chapter Four: Comprehension 

Harry came awake at the sound of a muffled giggle and a gentle shush. Raising his head off of Remus' hospital bed, he adjusted his askew glasses, spotting Tonks still asleep in the empty bed as the world came into focus.

"Hi, Har-wee," Teddy called to him, all bright-eyed and smiling.

"Hullo, Teddy," he grunted back, removing his glasses and rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. "Was that you giggling?" Harry rotated his neck to work the stiffness out of sleeping in a hospital chair as Teddy giggled again. Then, suddenly something dawned on him. "Teddy, what are you doing in your dad's bed? You slept with your mum last night…"

"He crawled in this morning," Remus, half propped up in bed with his son contently curled up in a ball next to him, told Harry in an amused voice. "And he made himself quite at home."

"Remus!" Harry exclaimed loudly, putting his glasses back on. "You're awake!"

"Ssshhh, Har-wee, Mama sleep," Teddy hushed him, and then smiled at the dark look Harry shot at him.

"You know, he gets that smart-arsed smirk from you," Harry told Remus, who immediately grinned the exact same way.

Remus and Teddy then exchanged knowing smiles and Harry scowled at them. But he couldn't begrudge any sort of father-son bonding on their part, even at his expense…could he?

Tonks sighed suddenly and all three of them then turned to look at her. But she just rolled over onto her other side and slept on.

"Some Auror she is," Remus stated and Harry slapped a hand over his mouth to prevent from laughing aloud. "Mummy's really protecting us well, huh Ted?"

"That's terrible, Remus!" Harry told him, biting back a grin. But not Teddy; he giggled. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I got trampled on by a herd of Hippogriffs. What'd they do to me?"

"They kept you out for a day so you could heal. Which is a good thing since a slight concussion, one broken leg; two broken and three cracked ribs would make you feel like you were run over by a Hippogriff herd." It was his turn to smirk when Remus scowled at him.

"That," Remus pointed at him, "is your mother's smirk."

"Really? Mum's…not Dad's?"

"Entirely your mother's. James just would have laughed aloud. Lily was much more subtle."

"Snape was in love with my mother." Harry blurted out suddenly. "Did you, or anyone else, know that?"

He had wanted to ask anyone that question for two years now. However, anyone who had known both Lily Potter and Severus Snape well enough to know the answer was, unfortunately, dead. Except one person now could possibly tell him…and that person suddenly looked uncomfortable at Harry's loaded question.

"You did know, didn't you?" Harry pressed.

"Er…" Remus stuttered, looking as if he wanted to be anywhere but where he currently was.

He took Remus' trail into silence for affirmation, and then asked, "Did Dad know?"

"No."

"How'd you know?" Harry pushed, then laughed as Teddy swivelled his head back to await his father's response.

"It's like a Quidditch match, isn't it son?" Remus said to Teddy, who giggled. To Harry he responded, "You mother confided in my one night during our Prefect rounds. Asked me to never tell James because she knew he'd go ballistic." He paused, and then added, "And I never did."

Harry paused as he took in the repercussion of Remus never telling James actually meant. It was like him never telling either Ron or Hermione. He then caught the soft smile playing across Remus' face and his stomach sank.

Surely…

"Er…you weren't in love with Mum too, were you?" Harry asked.

"Oh good God no!" Remus exclaimed vehemently. "Your mother and I were just friends…like you and Hermione. That's it."

"Okay…good," Harry said, relieved. Remus laughed knowingly. And before either could say anymore, a young Healer bustled into the room.

"Oh!" she gasped when she saw Remus. "Oh my goodness…oh my goodness!" Harry managed to catch the tray she almost dropped with an upward flick of his wand. "It's really you…Remus Lupin."

"Er…yes, it's really me," Remus replied, looking at Harry completely perplexed.

Harry just grinned at him and mouthed "Romeo and Juliet" as he set down the tray on the bedside table. Remus' stifled groan had Harry's grin broadening.

"And it's really her, Nymphadora…your wife," the Healer whispered, spotting Tonks, who Harry noticed was now awake and sitting up in the extra bed.

"Wotcher," Tonks yawned at her. "That's me. Is that breakfast, Harry? I'm starving!"

"Oh my goodness…" the Healer continued to repeat. Harry handed Tonks a cup of tea then noted that even Teddy, still curled up next to his father, was beginning to look amused as well. "They told me you were alive…but I…"

"Didn't believe them?" Tonks finished for her, and then blew on her tea to cool it. "Don't blame you. And don't call me Nymphadora...er, please."

Harry smothered a laugh while Remus rolled his eyes. Teddy cocked his head to one side, regarded his mother for a moment, and then grinned.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Mrs Lupin! It's just that-"

"Tonks!" she cut in. "Call me Tonks, please. Mrs Lupin makes me want to look around for Remus' mother." Her husband let out a snort of laughter and she winked saucily at him.

"All right…Tonks," the Healer stuttered out. "My name is Margaret."

"Good morning, Margaret," Tonks said. "I think you ought to wait to attend to Remus even though he's wincing in pain from laughing so hard his ribs hurt again."

"Why?" Margaret and Remus asked her at the same time.

"'Cause I owe him for his comments earlier," she told them.

"You were awake." It was a statement, not a question, from her husband.

"'Some Auror she is' and 'Mummy's really protecting us well, huh Ted?'," she quoted back to him serenely.

Harry smirked as Remus paled slightly, then realised Tonks really was going to give her husband a piece of her mind. He leaned over, grabbed Teddy, who was dead centre in the line of fire, and bolted for the door. On the way out, he grabbed Margaret's lime-green sleeve and dragged her with him.

"Where are you going?" Remus called to him. And, as the door closed, Harry heard, "Thanks for nothing, Potter."

"Oh my goodness," Margaret said to him as he leaned up against the door.

"She's just going to give him a piece of her mind, that's all. She'll be quick, so just wait here. Now, please let them know I'm going to take Teddy upstairs for some breakfast."

"Absolutely I will tell them, Mr Potter," Margaret told him.

"Call me Harry." He nodded as the Healer blushed slightly.

"Dada more owie?" Teddy asked in a slightly worried tone.

"No, Teddy, Daddy no more owie," Harry told him as he made his way down the corridor to the stairs. He'd have to watch what he said around Teddy more since he was growing up so fast and was starting to comprehend more. "Mummy's just going to yell at him."

"Oh-oh!"

"That's what Daddy's thinking right about now," Harry laughed. "Look, Ted, breakfast!"

"Look Har-wee!" Teddy yelled, pointing at the tea shop. "Brek-fas! Nummy!"

Harry laughed. He was pleased that their relationship had seamlessly shifted, even if it was subconsciously, from a paternal one to more of a fraternal one with the return of Teddy's parents. They enjoyed a very delicious, but very messy, breakfast, and then headed back downstairs to Remus' room. Pausing outside the door, when he heard nothing coming from inside, Harry deemed it safe to enter.

It wasn't.

Tonks was now curled up were Teddy had been and she and Remus were kissing very passionately. And Harry couldn't locate either of Tonks' hands nor one of Remus'.

"Oi!" he yelp, whipping around and covering both his and Teddy's eyes. "Get a room!"

"We're in a room, Harry," Tonks pointed out. Harry could hear the amusement laced in her voice and scowled at the wall.

"Next time knock," Remus said irritably. "I was enjoying that."

"Sorry! But it's like walking in on…" Harry paused, unsure whether to go on.

"Your parents," Tonks finished for him. "Well, on your dad at any rate."

"Oh…" Remus said in a surprised tone.

"Exactly," Harry, his colour still high, said as he risked turning around.

Tonks smiled brightly at him but Remus looked surprised.

She then hopped off the bed and sauntered over to him. Taking Teddy from him, Tonks said quietly to Harry, "You two need to talk. We're going for a walk."

Harry realised that she had remembered Andromeda's seemingly innocent line from two days ago of his realisation after they had 'died' of what she and Remus, especially Remus, had actually meant to him.

"Thanks," he muttered to her.

Tonks nodded, stepped around him, and then left the room. On the way down the corridor, they could both hear her saying, "How about breakfast, Teddy boy? Mummy worked up quite an appetite."

"Brek-fas!" Teddy said happily.

Harry and Remus exchanged looks and laughed.

"Andi swears he eats more than you ever did," Harry told him.

"Impossible!"

They both laughed again, then, not knowing were to start, when Harry realised they were now alone, he stuttered, "Er…"

Remus smiled at him, and then motioned at the bedside chair that Harry had slept in. When he was settled in, Remus began with, "Do you know how difficult it was for me to act just as your professor that year and nothing else when I so very wanted to…"


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Consequences 

A/N: If you haven't read any of my other stuff, just FYI: my Remus is a Scot. now picture the accent

Many thanks to Elisa and Courtney who let me bounce ideas off them.

Sorry this took so long to get out…Real Life has been HECTIC!!

Harry knew that Romeo and Juliet's "return from the dead" was going to create a huge frenzy; he just wasn't expecting a _Daily Prophet_ front-page headline on the same day that Remus was being released from St Mungo's.

However, the pandemonium reigning in the hospital room made Harry temporarily forget what was waiting in the outside world. It took his breath away, literally. Both Andromeda and Tonks jumped on him as soon as he stepped inside the room.

"It's entirely my fault, Harry!" Tonks wailed at him the same time Andromeda shouted, "They're not coming home with me, Harry!"

"Wha-…?" Harry asked both of them, completely overwhelmed. He looked to Remus for answers as he gently disengaged Andromeda's hands from the front of his robes, long-knowing, based on experience, where her daughter had gotten it from.

Remus, who was playing with Teddy and his toy broom in a corner, quietly explained, "Dora's been blaming herself since last night for the spell going awry…and we just told Andromeda we're going home to our house in Scotland, not to hers, when I'm released later."

"It _is_ my fault!" Tonks sobbed and then threw herself at Harry, who barely managed to catch her. "We missed two years of Teddy's life thanks to me-"

"You need to come home with Harry and me," Andromeda cut over her.

"My baby's not a baby anymore!" Tonks wailed. "We missed everything because of me!"

"Scotland's so far away from Kent!" Andromeda continued.

"And then I took the last dose of my Milk Drying Potion this morning," Tonks wept into Harry's robes.

"Can't you just Apparate or Floo there?" Harry asked Andromeda while grimacing at Tonks' last statement before he saw Remus vehemently shaking his head out of the corner of his eye.

"Oh!" Tonks exclaimed. She stopped crying all of a sudden and backed away from him.

"Oh-oh," Teddy said, his blue eyes wide.

He felt a shiver of fear trickle down his spine as he made eye contact with Andromeda. Once again, he was terrifyingly reminded of just how much she resembled her deceased sister, Bellatrix Lestrange.

However, before she could say anything, Kingsley, closely followed by Percy, came barrelling into the room. "How?" he asked simply. Harry noted the balled up _Daily Prophet_ in his hand. "This is a closed ward."

Andromeda shot Harry a dark look that made him shudder (he knew that this wasn't the last of it), then just shrugged an elegant shoulder and told Kingsley, "Gossip is usually to blame. But like you said, this is a closed ward, so I have no idea."

Kingsley looked at Harry, who said, "Same…no idea. What are we going to do?"

"We can't go to the Ministry today to do all the paperwork," Percy said. "Not the day the story breaks. It's going to be chaos just fielding questions today."

"You could just bring it to my house and they can do it there," Andromeda suggested with a smile.

"Mum!" Tonks exclaimed.

"I don't want Percy Apparating all day long," Remus said quietly. "We can just do it another day. Let the news die down a bit."

"We need to get this done as soon as possible. Your family home would be a better place though," Percy countered. "They'll be expecting you to be at Mrs Tonks' house, not there."

"He has a point," Tonks murmured to Remus, who nodded his head in agreement.

"It's too soon, Nymphadora." Andromeda's voice broke through their strategies. There was something in the tone of her voice that had everyone stop talking.

"It's where we live, Mum," Tonks told her quietly as she went over and picked up her son. "Me, Remus…and Teddy."

Harry could have sworn if someone had dropped a Hippogriff feather you could heard when it hit the floor in the silence that followed her statement.

Two years ago Andromeda had lost her husband, her daughter, her son-in-law and had been left to pick up the pieces of her shattered life and raise her seven-week-year old grandson. Harry had personally bought her the news of Remus and Tonks' disappearance and ultimately the official notification of their deaths. He had held Andromeda both times as that haughty Black reserve had broken and she had sobbed in his arms.

At the same time, Harry understood why Remus and Tonks didn't want to return to Andromeda's. They had been married less than a month when they had moved in for various reasons during the war. Now that the war was over they wanted to forge ahead with their own life, in their own home, with their child.

Just then Harry realised Andromeda and Tonks were looking at him. A moment later he also realised they wanted _him_ to make the decision. "Er…" he stuttered. Harry cleared his throat, ignored Remus' amused chuckle, and continued, "Um… I can see that you've all made good points. But the house in Scotland hasn't been opened up in two years. It's not ready for anyone to move in just yet."

"Very true," Remus agreed. "Plus none of Teddy's stuff is there. Where would he sleep?"

"Exactly," Andromeda pointed out. "We can open the house up during the day and you can spend the nights with me for a few days."

"I could do that," Tonks agreed, smiling back at her now-beaming mother.

Before anyone else could say anything else, there was a burst of flame and what Harry recognised as a Ministry of Magic interdepartmental memo appeared before Percy who promptly pulled it out of the air and read it. When he was done, Percy turned to Kingsley but didn't say anything.

"Well?" Kingsley asked him.

"Robards thinks that the Aurors have cornered Thorfinn Rowle at his family estate in Hampshire," he was told.

Harry noted Tonks' interest was piqued (as was his own), while Kingsley shook his head. "He appears to be dumber than a Flobberworm, yet he's evaded capture for the past two years." Tonks snorted with laughter and Kingsley grinned. "Sorry, not very Minister of Magic-y, I suppose. Still getting used to it." Percy rolled his eyes. "Well, let's get Remus discharged and he, Mrs Tonks, and Teddy back to the house before we head into the Ministry."

"What about Dora?" Remus asked while taking Teddy from his wife.

"Listen, Remus. I know that for you two, the Battle for Hogwarts just ended a few days ago, but Harry and I have been cleaning up the aftermath for the past two years. My Auror staff is seriously depleted, and here's Tonks alive again. We've been after Rowle since the Battle ended. He's the last one from Voldemort's inner circle evading capture. I need her, Remus."

"Plus we've been paying Mrs Tonks her Pension for the past two years," Percy added. When Kingsley glared at him, he muttered, "Er…sorry," as his neck turned a shade a red that rivalled Gryffindor scarlet. "Sorry about that."

"I understand," Remus told Kingsley. "Duty first. Just be careful, please."

"I will," Kingsley vowed.

"I meant Dora."

"Oh…right." Harry started laughing since he knew Remus had meant Tonks. "Sorry."

"I'll keep an eye on him, Remus," Tonks said, her dark eyes sparkling with mischief. She ignored the offended look Kingsley shot her. "It was nice that you paid Mum my Pension. I know you weren't supposed to. I'm all right," she said, clearing her throat as Teddy placed a gentle kiss on her pink spikes. "Let's get to work, Kingsley, Harry. We have a Death Eater to bring to justice."

TBC


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Notes:** grumbles Now JKR sets a date for the Battle of Hogwarts: May 2, 1998. Teddy was only three to four weeks old when his parents died, not seven like I guesstimated (thinking June, when the other finales were, not May)

And I know at first JKR said Ron worked WWW for a bit, and then became an Auror. Then she changed her mind and said that he didn't leave. I personally like the idea of Ron buying out (with a loan from Harry, I suppose) Fred's half. JKR said WWW was a money-maker after the war. He could easily "support" his family working the shop. George did it.

According the Black Family Tree on the Lexicon, Andromeda's mother doesn't have a death date following her name and we don't know about the Lestrange brothers…

Not beta'ed or Britpicked. Point out any stupid mistakes, please

Chapter 6: Close Call 

All Harry had to take in was the anxious look on Remus' face and the tears streaming down Teddy's as they Flooed into the lobby of St Mungo's to know that Dawlish had botched another next-of-kin notification. He clenched his fist in anger, and then heart wrenched at his godson's pitiful question to him of "Mama?"

"What happened?" Remus asked rushing up to him.

"She took a Stunner that knocked her down and she cracked her head on the stone floor. But the Healers have already set her right. She's fine, Remus." He visibly relaxed, then collapsed into a waiting room chair. Harry took both Teddy and his travelling bag so Remus could collect himself. "She's resting now if you want to come back and see her."

"Mama 'k?" Teddy asked him again, his big blue eyes brimming with tears, as he clenched the front of Harry's robes.

"Mummy's okay, Ted," he reassured him, smiling reassuringly at Remus who looked up at him and then shakily ran a hand through his greying hair and blew out a deep breath. "She got an owie, but the Healers made her all better."

"Owie?" Teddy rubbed his forehead and Harry noticed a bandage was the exact same spot where it always was. "You fell up the stairs again, Ted?" Harry grinned when Remus hid a smile. "Just like your Mummy. Or so Gran tells me."

"Andromeda!" Remus exclaimed jumping up out of his seat, startling both his son and Harry. "She doesn't know Dora's been injured!"

"Where is she? I'll go get her."

"With her friends. They went shopping for the house. Bed linens or curtains…something like that." Harry's stomach heaved and when he met Remus' eyes there was a sympathetic understanding in them.

There was only one place in the wizarding world where a witch would go to purchase such items: Ella's Enchanted Emporium in Diagon Alley. And that particular shop was the only one that every wizard in the wizarding world tried to avoid at all costs. Harry himself had unknowingly gone with Andromeda about six months after the war had ended.

When they had walked in, Harry thought he had entered a lady's boudoir with what looked like an explosion of silks and satins, lace and ruffles in all colours of the rainbow everywhere. Even a seven-month-old Teddy had looked perturbed at being in such a feminine shop. Mercifully, it had only taken Andromeda about a quarter of an hour to realise that both men she was with were at unease and had left.

And neither of them had ever returned with her.

"Ella's Enchanted Emporium…bloody hell," Harry swore unconsciously as he handed Teddy back to Remus.

"Bloody hell!" Teddy parroted with a grin.

"Edward!" Remus growled warningly, glaring at Harry. Teddy wiped the grin off his face and Harry looked immediately contrite. "I've been meaning to ask, does he spend much time with Ron?" his godson's father queried.

"A fair bit. I usually take him with me to the Burrow. He's a favourite there and it gives Andi time to herself. Why?" he asked innocently, fully knowing where Remus was heading with his questioning.

"When Ted tripped up the stairs the first words out of his mouth, before he even started crying, were-"

"Bloody hell," Harry finished knowingly, having witnessed the event several times. His lips twitched with amusement as Teddy tried to look not guilty. "I think that might not be Ron's fault. Andi's told me that it was Tonks' curse of choice whenever she'd fell up the stairs. Having never first-hand witnessed it…" he trailed off.

Remus looked amused at first, and then he started to laugh. "Are you saying it's genetic?"

"It's a possibility," Harry grinned.

"Or he could just be spending too much time at the Burrow," Remus counter pointed.

"Yay!" Teddy called, flailing around in his father's arms. "Burrow."

Remus arched a knowing eyebrow at Harry as he stood up and followed him to the fireplace. "I'd wager it's not genetic."

"I'll stop by the shop and warn Ron to stay away for a few days," Harry replied as he took at handful of Floo Powder. "You know," he said, stepping into the fireplace, "for all Ted looks like you, Remus, he's his mother's son through and through. Diagon Alley!" As the emerald flames shot up around his body, Harry grinned at the surprised look on Remus' face and the matching grin to his own on Teddy's.

Harry slid out of the fireplace and into the back room of Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes coughing on the ash as usual. George Weasley looked up from his desk where he was toting up figures and grinned when he recognised Harry. Only family, and Harry, had access to the shop's fireplace.

"Mornin', Harry," he said. "Haven't seen you in a bit. What's new at the Auror Office?"

"We just captured Thorfinn Rowle at his family estate in Hampshire," Harry told him as he stood up and brushed the soot off his robes. "I hate Flooing," he muttered to himself, but loud enough for George to hear.

"Why are you here? You've just captured the last free Inner Circle Death Eater and now you're going shopping?" At Harry's dark look, he laughed, "I'm joking. Ron's out front. It's his day to work the front of the shop."

Harry scowled at George's grin. "I'm just here to warn Ron to stay away from Teddy for a bit since he's cursing again. Then I need to go find Andi 'cause-" He stopped short of mentioning Tonks' name since Harry wasn't sure how George had reacted to their return.

But George stood up quickly, knocking over his chair, asking, "Tonks is all right?"

"Yeah, she is. Just took a few Stunners that knocked her down. But it was in true Tonks fashion that she cracked her head on the stone floor." George chuckled. "The Healers have already patched her up."

"Thank goodness," George told him as he righted his chair and sat back down. "Mrs Tonks came in like she always does when she's shopping. Mentioned that she was heading to Ella's…oh, you poor man," he trailed off in a sympathetic tone. "Do you want me to send Angelina down after her instead?"

Harry was tempted to take the easy option out, but declined. Not wanting to, but knowing he had to, Harry asked George, "Are you… all right with their return?"

George looked up from his parchment. He shifted it and Harry saw the _Daily Prophet _underneath. "Honestly?" he said quietly.

"Yeah," Harry replied, sitting down at Ron's desk.

"I don't know how I feel." George was quiet for a few moments, and then said, "I'm glad for Mrs Tonks. She lost her husband, daughter, and son-in-law. Now at least she has her daughter and son-and–law back, while all I lost was just my brother. "

"Fred was more than 'just your brother'!" Harry exclaimed. Out of the corner of his eyes, he spotted Ron in the doorway hovering just out of George's line of vision. "He was your twin, your partner, your best mate! He was so much more than 'just your brother'!"

"Yeah, I know. Like I said, I really don't know how I feel." George spotted Ron, who nodded his agreement. "I'm happy for Mrs Tonks, Teddy…and you, Harry, that they're back. But at the same time…"

"I understand," Harry told him quietly. To break the tension in the room, he added, "Ron, mate, you might want to stay away from Remus for a few days."

"Why?" Ron asked him perplexed as George covered up a smile.

""Cause Teddy's cursing again."

"He can't prove that Teddy learned them from me!" Ron said hotly. "He could have picked up the curses from anywhere!"

Harry nodded. "Well, Ted fell up the stairs this morning-"

"Just like his mother," George interjected with a laugh. Ron laughed as well.

"Yeah, I know. Unfortunately, his curse word of choice when he falls is 'bloody hell'…"

"Bloody hell," Ron immediately cursed causing George to laugh harder.

"I tried to argue the point that Tonks uses the exact same curse…but Remus didn't buy my argument," Harry finished smoothly.

"Great," Ron muttered. He then spun around on his heel and head back out to the front of the shop, George's laughter ringing in his ears.

"I have to go get Andi," Harry said as he stood up and prepared to follow his best friend.

"See you around!" George told him. "And, Harry…thanks."

"Any time."

He took a deep breath and plunged through the semi-crowded shop quickly to avoid detection. Harry waved goodbye to Ron who was up at the till talking to Angelina. He raised a hand of greeting to her, got a return nod, and then exited the shop.

Stepping into the bright May sunlight, Harry blinked, acclimated himself, and then took a left, heading towards Ella's Enchanted Emporium, which was located next to Quality Quidditch Supplies.

He took one look at the window display and mentally groaned. Taking a deep breath, Harry released it. He was about to enter the shop when he overheard a wizard behind him.

"Sweetheart, it's not that I don't want to pick out curtains for our new house, it's just that if Harry Potter needs to brace himself before entering that shop…"

Harry let out a shout of laughter as he recognised Neville Longbottom's voice. Turning around, he said, "Hannah, you wouldn't do that to Neville now would you?" Hannah Abbot glared at him through narrowed eyes while Neville's look was one of thankful appreciation. Grinning, Harry added, "Of course, the wizard that could lead the résistance at Hogwarts and decapitate Voldemort's pet snake could probably easily handle one little shop…"

It was Neville's turn to glare and Hannah's to beam at him. He grinned, and then spun around as Andromeda asked from behind him, "Harry, what are you doing…here?" She went pale, and then whispered, "Nymphadora?"

"She's fine!" Harry quickly reassured her. "Injured, but she's just fine." Andromeda looked questionably at him. "Tripped, fell, and cracked her head on the floor. She's at St Mungo's."

"Typical," Andromeda muttered.

She quickly said goodbye to her friends, then started up Diagon Alley towards the Leaky Cauldron. Harry grimaced reassuringly at Neville as Hannah hauled him into Ella's Enchanted Emporium, and then quickly followed after Andromeda. They were at the apothecary when Narcissa Malfoy and another older woman that Harry didn't recognise stepped into Andromeda's path.

"We need to speak to you, Andromeda," Mrs Malfoy said in her usually haughty tone, but then she nodded at Harry in acknowledgement. He arched an inquisitive eyebrow back at her.

Andromeda stopped dead in her tracks. Glancing over her shoulder and in the scathing tone of voice that Harry mentally referred to as 'her Black tone', she asked, "Why? You haven't spoken to me in nearly 20 years. Why start now?" Before either Mrs Malfoy or the other woman could speak, she added, "I told the Wizengamot I didn't want Lestrange's money but they can't do anything about it since she didn't leave a will."

"Bella was your sister!" Mrs Malfoy burst out in such a tone that Harry was surprised she didn't stamp her foot like a five-year-old.

"She was not!" Andromeda hissed back in the same tone, whipping around.

"She was too!"

Harry didn't have any siblings of his own, but he had spent enough time at the Burrow in the past two years to know that even though siblings were grown that it didn't stop them from bickering and fighting with one another.

That's exactly what was shaping up between Mrs Malfoy and Andromeda until the other woman stepped between them. "Girls, enough! We are in public! Comport yourselves like Blacks. I taught you better than this!"

Harry was amused to hear Andromeda, a grandmother, being referred to as a 'girl', then he realised who this other woman was: Andromeda's mother.

His theory was confirmed when Andromeda glared witheringly at her and said in a low tone, "My surname is not Black anymore, Mother. It's Tonks. Remember? You disinherited me because of it." She angrily tapped the separating wall between Diagon Alley and the Leaky Cauldron with her wand and disappeared inside the pub.

"Has my granddaughter really returned from the dead, Potter?" Mrs Black questioned Harry.

He was so surprised she had referred to Tonks as her granddaughter that he stuttered out his reply. "Er…yeah."

"And the werewolf?" Mrs Malfoy pressed.

"Yes," he replied in a cool voice that clearly suggested no more questions. "Excuse me."

The two women understood and inside the pub, Harry caught up with Andromeda. "Don't mention that to Nymphadora," she said to him. "The last time my mother spoke to me it was at nearly the same location and Dora was about seven. We were out Christmas shopping for Ted."

"What'd she say?"

"Something nasty, but Dora got the better of her. As the wall was resealing itself, she quickly morphed her hair black and eyes grey then stuck her tongue out. She looked so much like Bellatrix that it shocked my mother…and me."

Harry laughed. He could perfectly picture a seven-year-old Tonks doing just that. "Let's get to the hospital," he told her, directing Andromeda out the door, nodding at Tom, the landlord.

They quickly turned the corner into an empty mews off Charing Cross Road and Apparated to the Point around the corner from St Mungo's. Quickly walking up street, they gained access to the hospital and were immediately set upon by Remus.

"You said Dora took one Stunner, Harry! She took four!" he said angrily. "Four!"

"She was Stunned?" Andromeda asked him, going pale again. "Four times?"

Harry felt his stomach sinking as both of them glared angrily at him. Then Teddy, from Remus' arms, said, "Oh-oh, Har-wee in trouble!"

"Bloody hell," Harry muttered.


	7. Chapter 7

Author's Note: Um…yeah. Sorry about the delay. Real Life has Really Sucked lately.

Chapter Seven: An Unintentional Taste of Fame

A week later, Harry was still smarting over Remus' disappointment and anger with him. And it was nettling him that they hadn't spoken about it yet. He and Andromeda, like they always had, aired the issue out the moment they got home and the two of them were all right. However, Remus, with Teddy, was now permanently at his family house in Scotland (since Andromeda finally had it up to her exacting standards) and maintaining a stony silence towards Harry.

Harry hadn't purposely lied to him; he had just wanted to reassure Remus that Tonks was safe and sound before he had told him what exactly had happened during the mission. They had been sidetracked with the worry of having to locate Andromeda and Harry forgot to tell Remus everything before he had left.

Harry and Remus were both unconsciously trying to act as if everything was fine in front of Tonks and Teddy. But, Harry, acting in both a professional and personal capacity, stood awkwardly holding Teddy to the side as Tonks was quickly examined one last time by a Healer. Remus, prompted up against the wall, was looking mostly at his wife, but anywhere else except at Harry. Andromeda, sitting ramrod straight in the one chair in the room watching the proceedings, was biting her lip and twisting her hands, unsure at what to do.

Tonks, they found out, was not immune to the palatable tension in the atmosphere nor was she fooled by their acts. Officially discharged from St Mungo's, she politely thanked the Healer for his services, but the minute the door closed behind him, she turned towards her husband and Harry and angrily hissed, "What the _bloody hell_ has been going on between you two all week?"

"Oh-oh," Teddy said.

Harry caught Andromeda stifling a smile but since he was biting his lip as well, he couldn't say anything to her. Remus shoved his hands in his trouser pockets but remained silent. Tonks arched an eyebrow. Harry and Remus both exchanged uneasy glances. When neither said anything, she said, "_Someone _please tell me what is going on between these two?"

"Dada mad at Har-wee," Teddy informed her, since it seemed neither man nor her mother was going to. This time a snort of laughter escaped Andromeda before she could suppress it.

Harry glared at her (earning a mocking arched eyebrow back), and then told Tonks, "I didn't mean to…lie to Remus about your condition, but he and Ted looked so worried when they came through the Floo that I had to reassure them you were okay." He paused when Remus made an undistinguishable noise from the back of his throat but didn't say anything. Continuing, Harry said, "Then we realised we needed to find Andi…and I took off before I could tell him…I don't blame him for being angry…or disappointed in me."

"I'm not disappointed in you, Harry," Remus spoke up hoarsely, rubbing his face wearily. "Or angry. Well, maybe slightly angry, but I should have known better. I was just so…so…" He pushed off from the wall and started to pace back and forth next to him.

"Worried about Tonks," Harry finished for him. "Yeah, I know. I took off too quickly." It was Harry's turn to jam his hands into his robes' pockets. "Andi and I just went through so much together in the past two years that I rushed off wanting to protect her." Teddy laid his head on Harry's shoulder as if comforting him and Harry saw Andromeda and Tonks smile at him. "I'm so sorry, Remus."

"I'm sorry too, Harry." He made a move as if wanting to embrace him, but stopped. Harry wasn't offended; he knew it was going to take Remus some time to feel comfortable showing affection towards him. Things might have had changed for Harry in their relationship, but they hadn't changed for Remus yet.

He then caught sight of Andromeda surreptitiously dabbing at the corner of her eyes with her robes and grinned. She sniffed as if daring him to say something (but he heard Tonks' giggle and knew she had seen too), then stood up and marched over. Taking Teddy from him, she hissed, "Hug him," softly in Harry's ear.

His green eyes caught her grey ones and he nodded. Harry turned towards Remus and caught him in a quick embrace before his godson's father knew what was happening. When Harry let go and looked up into Remus' eyes, he could see the genuine warmth shining in them.

"That's my boys," Tonks sniffled. Clearing her throat, she then said, "Let's go the apothecary and get my potions then go home. Mum can cook tonight for us."

"Mum can cook?" Andromeda echoed. "How'd I get volunteered?"

"Do you want me to cook then?" her daughter asked back.

"Not particularly, no," Remus said, and then blushed when his wife glared at him. Harry and Andromeda laughed. "Sorry, Dora…it's just that…um…"

"I can only cook about one thing and you're not in the mood for porridge tonight, sweetheart?" she asked rhetorically and Remus' cheeks flamed scarlet.

"Por-idged, yum," Teddy shouted, reaching for his mother.

Tonks wrinkled her nose as she took him from his grandmother. "He gets that from you, Remus. I can't stand that horrid stuff."

"Your father loved it as well," Andromeda said quietly, her eyes slightly downcast.

"Oh yeah…he did," Tonks agreed, her eyes shining brightly with tears. Remus leaned over and placed a kiss on her forehead. She cleared her throat, and then pronounced, "I still say the stuff is horrid."

"Then why is it the only thing you know how to cook?" Harry asked, perplexed.

Andromeda grinned slyly. "Because it's Remus' favourite."

Tonks blushed becomingly, but Remus laughed. "What's the Muggle saying, Harry? 'The way to a man's heart is through his stomach'? Well, it's true."

"Are you saying the only reason I won your affections because I cooked porridge for you?"

Harry laughed at the trapped look on Remus' face. "Er…no…" he stuttered.

Andromeda chuckled, and then she and Teddy led the way out of the ward to the lobby. "We'll meet you at the apothecary," she said over her shoulder before stepping to the fireplace to Floo.

Harry, Remus, and Tonks made their way across the lobby, all three aware of the gawking stares of the waiting patients as they went. Tonks' cheeks were the same bubblegum pink colour as her hair by the time they gained the Muggle street just outside the hospital. "Is that what it's like being you, Harry?" she asked incredulously.

"Er…yeah," he answered embarrassedly. "For the most part. Um…sorry."

Tonks smiled, accepting his apology.

"Just perfect," Remus muttered. "Let's go." He led the way to the Apparition Point just around the corner in a secluded mews. Gently grasping Tonks' arm, he said to Harry, "We'll see you there," and Side-Along Disapparated with his wife.

When Harry appeared a few moments later, they all crossed Charing Cross Road and entered the Leaky Cauldron. Since it was mid-afternoon on a workday, the pub was enjoying the quiet lull of business that occurred between lunch and dinner.

"Hullo, Harry," he was quietly greeted from behind the bar.

Harry smiled, and then returned Lavender Brown's salutation. "You remember Professor Lupin, don't you, Lavender?" He heard Remus' sharp intake of breath as he recognised his former student in the heavily scarred woman behind the counter. "Remus, you remember Lavender Brown don't you?"

"Hullo, Professor. I'm so very glad you're back," Lavender greeted him warmly.

Remus shook his shock off and said, "Thank you, Miss Brown. I don't think you've officially met my wife, Nymphadora. Dora, Miss Brown was in the same year as Harry."

"Hello," Tonks greeted Lavender warmly.

"It's nice to meet you, Mrs Lupin. And, yes, Professor, I know you won't ask it, but Fenrir Greyback did this to me. At the Battle for Hogwarts."

"Are you…?" Remus delicately began.

"No," Lavender said with a small smile. "I'm quiet in the same boat as Bill Weasley. Scarred with tendencies, but not a full-fledge werewolf."

"Thank goodness," Remus breathed.

"And it's not so bad. Once Hermione had the anti-werewolf laws repealed last year, Hannah hired me straight off here. Her uncle, Tom, is the current landlord and she's going to inherit," Lavender explained, noticing the questioning look on Tonks' face. "It's not the world's most glamorous job, but it's a job."

"Exactly," Harry agreed. "It's more than werewolves were allowed to have before the war. And Hermione's fighting to get the list of…acceptable jobs expanded. Little by little, she's succeeding."

"I think you're helping her out a far bit, Harry," Lavender said quietly. "Always so modest you are."

Harry felt himself blushing. "Well, you know…it's the least I could do. Um…" he stuttered, now completely embarrassed since Tonks was grinning at him. "We have a bit of shopping to do before we head home. See you, Lavender."

"Goodbye," she called back as they moved off and customer drew her attention away.

"Thank you, Harry," Remus said quietly as Tonks tapped the appropriate bricks with her wand to reveal the entrance to Diagon Alley.

"You're welcome, Remus." And Harry knew there were no other words needed between them. "Look, there's Andromeda and Teddy."

"Hi, Mama, Dada, Har-wee," Teddy called waving at them. "Is Nerva!" he said happily, pointing the woman chatting to his grandmother.

"Minerva!" Remus said in a pleased tone as they approached the trio. "What are you doing away from Hogwarts on a school day?"

"Looking for you and Nymphadora, Mr Lupin," the Headmistress answered his question, gently chucking Teddy on the chin with a smile. "I just missed you at St Mungo's. How are you?"

"I'm much better now that Dora's okay," Remus answered.

Tonks rolled her eyes at his proper tone. "Oh, for the love of God, just hug the woman, Remus!"

Harry snorted.

Remus looked embarrassed, but quickly reached over and hugged Professor McGonagall. Tonks did next, hugging the Headmistress a bit longer than her husband had.

"How are you, Harry," Professor McGonagall inquired.

"You know me, Professor. Trying to have a quiet life…"

"But failing miserably at it," she finished for him, indicating the passers-by that were stopping to stare at them. "Though it's worth trying for, Harry. Should we go inside? Andromeda tells me that you need to make a few purchases before heading home."

He smiled thankfully at her and led the way inside the shop. The proprietoress greeted her famed customers warmly, and then asked if they wanted tea and biscuits. Tonks, Andromeda, and Minerva accepted the tea. Teddy was very vocal at wanting a biscuit, then even louder when fighting with his mother who was afraid it would ruin him for dinner.

Harry, amused at Teddy's antics, declined tea, then turned to Remus to see if he wanted any or not. He frowned as he noticed that Remus looked rather…uncomfortable. "All right?" he asked him quietly.

Remus looked surprised to see that Harry had noted his discomfort, but finally said, "Last time I was here I was trying to purchase ingredients for the Wolfsbane Potion. I was a few Sickles short, so she," he indicated the proprietoress, "was rather…er, short with me."

"Oh," was all Harry could think of as a reply. "Well, like Lavender touched on…things are slowly changing. I'm not supposed to say anything, but I know you'll want to be prepared for it." Remus looked at him, perplexed. "Kingsley wants you to reform the Werewolf Support Office. Well, actually, the entire department. He's going to talk to you when Tonks returns to the roster."

Remus looked gobsmacked, and then finally managed to say, "I…I don't know what to say."

Harry grinned lopsidedly at him. "When the time comes, you say yes."

FIN


End file.
